


Snowflake Sonata

by Dizzy_Hurricane



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Christmas, Depression, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:48:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21946093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dizzy_Hurricane/pseuds/Dizzy_Hurricane
Summary: “But it’s not too late to follow the rest of your dream too, you know.”An unlikely Christmas reunion.
Relationships: Nishikino Maki/Yazawa Nico
Comments: 16
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So originally I was planning on writing a much happier Christmas story based around more of the girls than just these two, but then I had the idea for this and started writing and... this happened. Not your traditional Christmas Cheer, but hopefully an enjoyable ride nonetheless.

The front door of the house creaked as it was pushed open, the hinges sounding as if they would give way with a firmer shove. As the owner stepped into the dark hallway from the frigid evening wind, she dropped her bag onto the cold floor with a crash, stepped out of her work shoes, and used most of her remaining energy to close the door behind her. She then stood unmoving in the dark hallway, with only a shaft of light coming through her window from a nearby street lamp providing the woman with some vision. Closed eyes, a deep breath, a weary sigh. She trudged into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of red wine from the rack in a motion she’d repeated at least hundred times – maybe more – in the past.

That was a depressing thought – hundreds of nights she’d arrived home in darkness, hundreds of times she’d come back to a cold, empty house. Too many nights spent drinking alone, to the point where she wasn’t sure if that was for a lack of want of company, or a lack of choice. She didn’t have ‘friends’ anymore, the woman thought to herself as she poured herself a large glass, just work colleagues that were too scared of her to get close, and could she blame them, really? She wasn’t exactly the friendliest person even out of work, let alone in the hospital, where she didn’t have time for idle conversations or small talk when there was always work to be done, lives to be saved. Sure, she was excellent at her job – all of her colleagues knew that, she knew that, her parents certainly knew that – but there were times when it felt like that didn’t matter anymore. Like it wasn’t enough to fulfil her. 

As she sat down on her lavish sofa in her expensive lounge, in a house that was far too big to ever feel like home, she looked down into the deep red contents of her glass, hoping that even if the alcohol wouldn’t solve her problems, it would at least help her to momentarily forget them. After a large sip of the bitter drink, a soft vibration startled her, before she remembered her phone was still in her pocket. It was rare for anyone to message her these days, let alone in the evenings, but perhaps since today was… never mind, it was just an e-mail from her bank. The contents of the e-mail: ‘We hope all of our customers have a wonderful Christmas and a successful new year! Thank you for making our year special, we hope yours was too!” The woman chuckled dryly, shoving the device back into her pocket. It was almost 6pm and that was the first time today anyone had wished for her to have a happy Christmas, and to make matters even more pathetic it was an automated e-mail from her bank. Technically her parents had texted her the previous evening, but they had been working all day today – even though she worked at the same hospital as her parents, she hadn’t seen them even once. 

Christmas used to be a special occasion, the woman reflected, one of the happiest days of her year. Presents under the tree from what she believed was a mythical man named Santa Claus, a marvellous dinner with her parents, various holiday-related films in the evening. Now, it was just like every other monotonous day she’d experienced for the past three years, ever since… hell, her life had been going downhill for longer than three years. In reality, it all started when her closest friends Rin and Hanayo moved to America six years ago, when the ginger received an offer from a prestigious athletics academy. Hanayo had decided to join her girlfriend over there and continue working as a teacher for elementary school children. It was understandable why they had left – it was the perfect career choice for them both – but it still hurt. It hurt to be left well and truly alone. 

Of course, she used to have other friends too, but she had gradually lost touch with most of them, and apart from congratulatory messages that felt like a formality rather than sincere, she hadn’t spoken to them since she began working as a doctor full-time. Apart from _her_. Apart from the one that stuck around longer than the others, until she too found her reason to leave. Losing all of her friends hurt, but seeing them all disappear from her life one by one was nothing compared to the excruciation she felt when she heard those words. Words that had replayed in her head countless times since.

_“I got an offer from A-RISE to support them on their world tour, which is obviously really great news and amazing for my career, but… I’ll be gone for most of the next year.”_

That day, just over three years ago in a small café in Akihabara, was the last day that Nishikino Maki had seen Yazawa Nico. 

* * *

“Okay mama, I’ll see you soon!”

Nico pressed the ‘end call’ button on her iPhone, connected to her car’s stereo system via Bluetooth, and fastened the seatbelt of her Honda. Closed eyes, a deep breath, a weary sigh. Nico was tired, tired enough to have considered travelling to her mama’s house by taxi, but Nico had never been one to spend money when it could be saved. So she begrudgingly started her car and set off on her journey across town. The sun was setting in the distance, its diminishing rays painting Tokyo in an orange glow, despite the time not yet reaching 5pm. As Nico smiled softly at the sight, she thought about how she hadn’t seen her family for nearly four months – as she had finally landed her first headline tour of Japan, the last few months of the year had been spent endlessly travelling and performing in front of her thousands of adoring fans. It was her dream come true, performing songs that she’d written (with some help from her team, admittedly) to her own fans, not just those who knew her from her µ’s days. 

Don’t get her wrong, Nico loved being a part of µ’s and the friends she’d spent her final year at Otonokizaka with – those truly were some of the happiest days of her life – but it was also important to Nico that she could survive in the idol industry on her own. That being said, she wasn’t truly on her own, with how much help her team had assisted her dream (especially her agent, who worked for the same idol agency that A-RISE were signed to!), but Nico had at least proved to herself that she was good enough to make it solo. And now, she had _truly_ made it – two albums and many more singles, two tours supporting A-RISE (part of her still had trouble believing that part), and now an amazing headline tour. As she drove her way across the outskirts of Tokyo, Nico came to the realisation that her career had been as successful as she’d always believed it would be. Despite that being the case, why did she have that feeling, taking up far too much space in her overworked brain, that there was something… _missing_?

Nico was willing to put it down to being incredibly tired (she had only come back from her tour the previous evening) but then she saw something that made her previous thought become so much clearer. No, not something – _someone_. A person that used to be ever-present in Nico’s life, yet it felt like a lifetime ago that they had last met. As the traffic in both directions slowed to a halt on a busy main road, Nico glanced out of the window and saw a glimpse of red in the car travelling in the opposite direction. A familiar shade of red that provoked Nico into taking a closer look at the driver of a Toyota that she was sure she’d seen before. It was then that Nico realised she was sat no more than three metres away from Maki. The very same Maki whose tears she’d caused on that cold evening in Akihabara, after speaking those words that she knew would hurt her. 

Nico wished there would have been a better way, a way to follow her dreams without leaving the redhead behind, but that simply wasn’t feasible without taking Maki on tour with her, without taking her away from her studies and her eventual profession. Nico had promised that they would keep in touch, a promise made with the best intentions, yet one that was practically impossible with how incredibly busy and hectic her schedule would become. An idol on a tour around the world, and a medical student that spent more time studying than sleeping? They were doomed from the start. Though Nico knew that neither of them put in as much effort as they perhaps could have, since they both knew soon enough that it was futile. Or maybe because it was too painful for them both to keep trying. 

Nico still remembered the heartbreak visible on Maki’s face on that day, even though she would much rather forget. It was a look similar to the one that Maki gave her on a similarly melancholic day five years ago, the day that Maki had finally told Nico her true feelings. It wasn’t as if the revelation came as a surprise to Nico – she had suspected as much since she had graduated from Otonokizaka – but a part of her had hoped the pair of them would never have to actually _talk_ about it. Nico was satisfied (or at least, that’s what she kept telling herself back then) for the two of them to stay as close friends, even though she always had the feeling that Maki wanted more. Even though Nico herself _desperately_ wanted more. For Nico, it had always been a choice between pursuing her idol career or pursuing Maki. The only deciding factor for her had been that if she chose the former, she would at least be able to stay close to the redhead as friends.

So on that day five years ago, Nico had turned the love of her life down as gently as she possibly could, but no amount of care and caution could hold back the tears that streamed down Maki’s face. Nico wanted to do the same, to cry at the unfairness and the heartbreak they were both going through, but she held herself together for Maki’s sake. Because it would make a difficult situation infinitely more complicated if Maki knew that her feelings were mutual. Because then Maki would still have hope, and there was nothing more dangerous than false hope living where true hope was dead. So on that day five years ago, Nico had made a choice to keep her feelings secret, to stay as close to Maki as she could, and to become the greatest idol the world had ever seen to make up for the heartbreak she’d caused for the person she loved the most.

Yet none of that seemed to matter at this moment in time, because she was _right there_. Fortuitously, Maki seemed completely out of it, seemingly not noticing Nico staring right at her for multiple seconds in a stupor, before Nico finally realised what she was doing and ducked down. However, curiosity won out, and she couldn’t resist taking another peek. When she did so, she noticed that Maki wasn’t just out of it, she looked downright _miserable_. She looked so tired, with all the life drained from her eyes, and messy hair that Nico might have found cute if she wasn’t so concerned. Nico had momentarily forgotten that they were still in traffic, and therefore she was startled slightly when Maki’s Toyota resumed movement, and a second later Maki was out of sight once more. As Nico finished the drive to her mama’s house, her family was the last thing on her mind, her thoughts instead filled with concern and longing for her friend, and feelings that she’d tried to forget bubbling up to the surface.

* * *

“Hey onee-san, where are you going?”

Nico looked back at the sound of her younger sister’s voice, her video game now paused. “Do you not want to finish this level first?”

Nico smiled half-heartedly. “Not right now Cocoa, Nico needs something to drink. I’ll help when I get back, promise.” Cocoa pouted, a skill that was shared across the Yazawa family, but she returned to her game regardless. Nico walked into the kitchen, past the sofa where Cocoro was showing Cotarou some souvenirs she’d brought back from her recent holiday, to pour herself a large glass of white wine. As soon as she’d taken her first sip, her mother appeared beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Nico glanced at her, seeing that classic look of motherly concern all over her face.

“Is something on your mind, dear?” her mother asked cautiously. Nico tried to smile a little, though she knew it was most likely pointless – it was true that mothers were perceptive, especially so when it came to Mama Yazawa.

“Not really, why do you ask?” Her mother responded with a smile of her own, a knowing smile laced with worry.

“You’ve seemed a bit… unfocused today. Like you’ve been thinking about something, something that seems to be bothering you. I could be wrong, and you could tell an old woman like me to mind her own business, but if you want to talk I’m here to listen.” At first, Nico thought about denying it, because how could her mother possibly help with what had been eating away at Nico all day? Yet as she opened her mouth do so, she saw the kindness in her mother’s eyes, and couldn’t bring herself to lie.

“I saw Maki earlier.” Nico didn’t so much say the words as much as she mumbled them, her gaze locked firmly onto her feet. She expected her mother to react with surprise, or ask why that would be bothering her, but instead her mother moved away, sat down on a stool next to the counter, and patted the seat next to her as an invitation. Nico did as she was asked, and waited for her mother to speak.

“So, that was the first time you’ve seen Maki for… what, two years now?” the older woman eventually asked, after taking some time thinking about how to proceed.

“Just over two years, yeah.”

“And you didn’t know how to feel, right?” As usual, her mother went straight to the point, but in a cautious, thoughtful way.

“Pretty much.”

“Do you still love her?” Nico felt her cheeks heat up at those words, at the bluntness of the question. Despite that, the answer was obvious, and she suspected her mother already knew that. Nico couldn’t bring herself to speak, only managing a nod so slight that someone less observant might have missed it. Mama Yazawa offered her daughter her hand, which Nico took. “I know you had your reasons for not telling her how you felt. You had to follow your dream. You wouldn’t be Nico if you didn’t.” Nico looked up and met her mother’s gaze, filled with a resolve she used to see in her own reflection. “And by following your dream, you made it. You became a great idol, the number one idol that you’d always dreamed of being. The idol you told the kids that you would become.” Nico felt the wetness pool in the corners of her eyes, but she still remained silent, letting her mother continue. “But it’s not too late to follow the rest of your dream too, you know.” Nico returned her gaze to the floor, as a tear dropped onto the tiles below.

“It is. I broke her heart, mama. She probably doesn’t want anything to do with me now. I’m an awful friend.” Nico felt her mother stroke her hand gently, soothingly.

“You don’t know unless you try, Nico.”

Nico would later realise it was those words, spoken so softly yet so strongly by her mother, that gave her the courage she had needed for years. Taking a moment to recollect herself, Nico wiped her eyes and stood up, embracing the elder Yazawa in a hug.

“Thanks, mama,” she mumbled into her mother’s shoulder. 

“No problem, honey. Go talk to her. You never know, she might be happier to see you than you think.” Those words brought Nico back to how despondent Maki had looked in her car earlier. Nico wanted to change that, to make her smile like she used to. Nico wanted her to be happy.

* * *

Two-thirds of a wine bottle down, Maki entered a room in her house that hadn’t seen use for many months. She gingerly approached the centrepiece of the room, as if wary that it would shock her if touched, before slowly setting herself down onto the wooden stool. As she opened the fallboard, staring at the ebony and ivory keys that had eluded her touch for so long, a wave of nostalgia washed over her. Her first piano lessons from her grandmother, the music room at Otonokizaka, composing songs for µ’s. The occasions when she would join Maki, sitting beside her, simply listening to her play, letting the melody flow between them like a conversation. Maki placed her slender fingers onto the keys, becoming used to the feeling once again. Then she pressed down, playing a melody that had been ingrained in her consciousness for years, accompanied by lyrics sang with as much passion as she had delivered on stage.

_“I'm glad to be here, our present exists right here  
It’s only just begun, I'm counting on you again tomorrow, we've yet to reach our goal”_

As Maki performed for an audience of zero, she lost herself in the moment – briefly, she was back on stage, singing her heart out and dancing like there was no tomorrow. She was with her friends, where she belonged.

_“Smile when you're sad, let's blow it all away  
If you can laugh, the scenery will change, peeking through the clearing weather”_

The faces of her friends flashed through her mind, their features etched into her memory. A slight flutter in the redhead’s heart as her face appeared once more in her thoughts. Sharp features, twin-tails, piercing red eyes.

_“Even when you're unsure, the road leading to happiness  
Comes into view under the blue sky”_

As Maki continued, trying in vain to block out thoughts of _her_ , instead more harrowing thoughts entered her mind. Thoughts of how monotonous her existence had become, how nothing in her life really felt like it meant anything anymore. How different things used to be…

_“Rain falls from time to time but it's harsh without water  
Don't wither, nurture everyone's tree of dreams”_

Even on what used to be a special day for her, all she could focus on was the contrast between the past and the present, on those who were no longer a part of her life. Maki felt such a deep longing to see her friends again, for the days of old to become new again. She would give anything to see _her_ one more time.

_“Push forward even if it's difficult, I'm by your side  
When we push forward, the burning sun will illuminate the east”_

____

The notes became louder now, her fingers slamming into the keys with more force, urging the melody to drown out her invasive thoughts. She tried harder to truly lose herself in the music.

__

_“The confusing, answer-less road to the future  
Is something we can't say no one knows”_

__

And for a brief second, Maki truly did lose herself in the music. If anything, it was that moment that broke her. Her voice cracked, her fingers slipped, playing a dissonant chord that echoed throughout the room, sounding incredibly jarring. She felt the dam break, tears streaming down her face. Her fingers slowed to a halt as her breathing became fast and erratic, a firm sense of panic setting in. She wanted to run, or to curl up into a ball on the spot, but her body wouldn’t co-operate. Every muscle she tried to move remained inactive, and all Maki could do was stare at the ebony and ivory keys before her, tears dripping onto them. Every negative thought she’d had from the last six years swirled around in her head like a hurricane, paralysing her. All Maki could do was wait it out as the storm raged on. 

__

Eventually, after what felt like hours, the tears subsided, her breathing evened out, and the ability to move her tired body returned. Her limbs felt as if they were made of lead, the panic attack having taken its toll on her already fatigued body. For a minute or two, Maki simply sat on her stool, taking deep breaths and regaining her strength. Once she felt like she had the energy to do so, she reached for her bottle of wine, taking a large drink from it – because obviously, that was her solution at this point. It always was, because what else could she do? What else would numb the pain? 

__

Nearly empty bottle still in hand, she slowly rose to her feet, praying that her legs wouldn’t give way. Dragging her feet as she walked, Maki made her way back to her kitchen, deciding that tonight was a two-bottle sort of night. Taking a final swig from her first bottle and placing it on her countertop, she reached out for number two – but as she lifted the bottle from her rack, a sharp pain emerged in her head, as if her body was punishing her for the strain she was putting it through. The split second of discomfort loosened her grip, and the bottle slipped from her hand before smashing into tiny pieces on the tiled floor. Maki jumped back in shock at the ear-splitting crash, moving her feet away just in time as shards of glass littered where she had previously been standing. The dark pool of liquid spread slowly, Maki staring dumbly at the mess, feeling the tears threatening to spill over once again. Before the waterworks began once more, a different sound broke her out of her trance. The sharp trill of the doorbell.

__

* * *

__

As Nico drove as quickly as the speed limit would allow (give or take 5 km/h), her mind was racing at a similar pace – Nico liked to live as much of her life as possible on instinct, on feeling, and that was certainly what she was doing on this occasion. She had no plan of what to say, with no idea whether Maki would hear her out or slam the door shut in her face. Hell, she didn’t even know whether Maki still lived in the same house as she used to! Nico could turn up and be turned away by some rich asshole, or worse still – what if Maki lived with someone else now? What if Nico was too late, and someone had taken her place at Maki’s side in her absence? If that had happened, Nico only had herself to blame, she thought to herself. Maybe that was what she deserved after leaving Maki all alone, after not being honest with Maki, or with herself.

__

All Nico knew is that her mother was right – she had to try. She had to make an effort to see Maki again, for longer than a few seconds in a traffic jam, to right the wrongs of the past. No matter what the consequences of her attempt would be, Nico would at least be able to say that she’d tried. The thought then struck Nico, that if Maki did angrily turn her away, tonight could be the last time she would ever see Maki. This might be her last chance to see the girl she’d loved for the best part of a decade. That thought created an emptiness inside Nico’s heart, a dull ache that filled Nico with unease. If that was the case… then so be it. If that was what Maki wanted, for Nico to be well and truly out of her life, then Nico would oblige. All the noirette wanted was for Maki to be happy, even at her own expense if necessary.

__

Several minutes later, Nico pulled up on the street outside Nishikino Maki’s residence, deciding that was safer than entering her driveway. Closed eyes, a deep breath, a confident exhalation. Nico steadied herself mentally before exiting her car and locking it behind her, marching up the driveway. As she took in the sight of the house that she used to frequent, the weight of the situation truly dawned on her. The closer she became to the front door, the more her confidence began to waver, as it dawned on her that if she pressed that doorbell, there was no going back. The point of no return. Her mother’s words floated through her head. _“You had to follow your dream. You wouldn’t be Nico if you didn’t.”_ Nico had achieved one of her dreams in life. Now the other was waiting for her, behind this door. She took the final few steps, breathed in slowly, and pressed the doorbell. 

__

In the next seconds that passed, the world seemed so incredibly still. There was no sound other than the distant murmurings of traffic. No light other than a streetlamp behind Nico, illuminating her back. Seemingly no movement inside the house. What if she wasn’t home? Nico was sure when their paths had crossed in the traffic earlier that Maki had been travelling in the direction of her house, but what if she had gone out? What if she was spending the night at her parents? Nico’s brows furrowed at the thought and she decided to ring the bell again, hoping that would somehow make a difference. More moments of waiting, still no sign of a cute redhead. As more time passed, Nico felt her heart sink, coming to accept that Maki wasn’t in, if she still lived there at all. She lifted her hand slowly and pressed the doorbell one final time, for good luck. Nico could feel the emotions welling up inside her as the finality of the situation settled in. The thought of this being the last chance for her to see Maki was bad enough; the thought of not even having that chance was worse.

__

Trying to stave off the tears until she was inside the warmth and safety of her car, Nico turned away from the impressively large house for what she had assumed would be the last time. After a few heavy steps, she felt something cold and wet land on her nose. The raven-haired idol looked up to the sky, where she could more clearly see the arrival of more snowflakes, a few landing on her awestruck face. Her fascination with the change in weather was quickly forgotten when the front door of the house creaked as it was pulled open. Yazawa Nico spun around as quickly as she could, and locked eyes with a very confused Nishikino Maki.

__

* * *

__

The doorbell snapped Maki out of her self-pity, blinking the tears away before they came. Who could it be, at this time on Christmas Day? No-one ever came over these days – no-one cared enough to do so. Well, her parents came over on rare occasions, and maybe today could be one. Maki then remembered that her parents had expected to be working deep into the night, and it wasn’t even 10pm yet. What if they had gotten off work early in order to surprise her? The bell rang a second time, echoing through the halls. Surely if it was her parents they would have texted first, they always did. But who else could it possibly be? Carol singers? Someone trying to sell something? None of the options seemed worth opening the door for. Maki waited for another ring, but none came. She sighed, glad that whoever it was had seemingly f– _RING_. 

__

An exasperated Maki stomped towards the front door before fumbling through her bag for her keys. Whoever it was, Maki thought, this had better be important. If she opened the door to a choir of off-tune voices singing hymns, she would make sure to slam it in their faces as forcefully as possible. After checking every pocket of her bag, she eventually felt the cold metal of her keys. She unlocked the door, opened it, and there was… a girl– no, a _woman_. A short woman dressed in a thick coat and a cute bobble hat, with long dark hair flowing from underneath it. Familiar hair that took Maki too long to recognise, based on her alcohol-riddled state. The woman turned to face her, and the breath was knocked out of Maki’s lungs. Sharp features, beautiful flowing hair, soft red eyes that were locked onto hers. Eyes that she had waited so long to see, eyes that could always see into and illuminate every dark corner of Maki’s soul.

__

“N-Nico…?”

__

Even though Nico had been the one to come to her, she looked equally shell-shocked, her mouth hanging open as she gazed at the redhead. After another moment or ten, Nico visibly relaxed, her lips curling upwards into a soft smile.

__

“Hey, Maki.”

__

During their two years apart, Maki had grown bitter. A part of her had blamed Nico for her increasingly negative outlook, despite knowing deep down that she wasn’t at fault in the slightest. Nico had to follow her dream – she wouldn’t be Nico if she didn’t. So despite the bitterness that had seeped into Maki’s heart, all that mattered right now was that the love of her life was here, in front of her, looking adorably shy. As Maki tried desperately to piece her thoughts together and formulate some sort of sentence, the rush of emotions was just _too much_. The hurt she’d been through, the shock of seeing someone so precious to her that she believed she would never see again, the joy she felt right now because Nico was _right there_.

__

“Nico, why are you…” she began before trailing off, not but choice but by necessity, as the tears began to flow once more. Soon enough she was outright sobbing, and Nico’s arms were wrapped around her. As soon as Maki was held in the embrace, she felt safe and warm. She felt at home. She felt the shorter girl stroke her hair, a gesture that helped calm the redhead somewhat, accompanied by soft words of reassurance spoken in her ear. Whatever feelings of anger or animosity that had built up over the time they had spent had been washed away in seconds. It just felt so right to be in Nico’s arms, she never wanted to leave. As the sobbing ceased, Nico slowly pulled away from the hug, still smiling kindly.

__

“Are you ok?”

__

Maki knew they had much to talk about; stories to catch up on, explanations to make, feelings to acknowledge. But as she gazed into eyes that she used to get lost in, with the hope of never looking away, she finally had a newfound determination to do so. As the snow fell over Tokyo, coating the couple in a white dust, Maki felt herself feeling more optimistic – about tonight, about her future which now seemed brighter than ever. How could the future not be bright when it was held in two shining rubies?

__

“I am now.”

__


	2. Nico's Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maki gets a surprise better than she could ever have dreamed of.

As the sunset cast Tokyo in a warm haze, Maki’s Toyota was firmly stuck in traffic. Typically, being stuck in a stationary vehicle after a long day of work would infuriate the redhead to no end, but these days such inconveniences only felt like a minor annoyance. Two days ago she had needed to work overtime for _five whole hours_ , and even that was (somewhat) bearable. After two years of her work at the hospital practically taking over her life, it felt so relieving for that to no longer be the case. Strangely, the number of hours she was working hadn’t changed – instead, she now had something to look forward to outside of work. Her mood was no longer solely dictated by how shitty her shift had been that day. There were other factors in play now, factors that made her life tolerable – hell, _enjoyable_ – for the first time in years. Well, just one factor really.

It had been nearly four months since Christmas Day, when she’d received the best gift she could possibly ask for. If she didn’t know better, she could have sworn that it was the work of Santa – how else could such a miracle be explained? Whether it was magic, fate, or simply an incredible coincidence, somehow a brief meeting (that Maki herself had been completely unaware of) in the Tokyo Christmas traffic had led to a reunion that Maki never believed would happen. When Yazawa Nico rang her bell _(three times!)_ that day, it truly seemed as if miracles were real. There had been several bouts of tears, some long overdue discussions that had turned rather heated, and years of pent-up frustrations released (in multiple ways, for multiple hours). When Maki had awoken in her bed the following morning, with Nico draped over her like a blanket, she’d felt a warmth deep inside her heart that she thought was lost forever.

Their conversations on that night hadn’t been easy, but they had certainly been necessary for them both. After apologies and tears from both sides, Nico had taken Maki’s hand, gazed at her with an adoration that made Maki’s heart burst and melt simultaneously, and spoken words that Maki had always dreamed of hearing.

_“Maki, I… I love you. I’ve always loved you. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, all those years ago when you confessed to me. I’m sorry for leaving you. But I’ll never leave again, I promise. Could you ever forgive me?”_

Naturally, Maki was in a very forgiving mood after hearing that. 

In the months since, the couple had built up their relationship with care, though it hadn’t taken long for them to become used to being close to each other once again – it was almost like old times, just with more intimacy, more physicality that both girls had craved for years. Before too long, it had felt like they’d never been apart, the heartache from the previous years replaced by a completeness that felt so perfect that it was _scary_. Maki felt as if she was truly whole again, something she hadn’t experienced since the existence of µ’s. It just so happened that Nico had been looking for somewhere new to live, so obviously Maki asked if she wanted to move in, because what was stopping them? They had known each other for a decade, they had been in that stage of almost-dating-but-not-quite for years, why not move in together earlier than most couples would? At that point, Maki felt they deserved to skip a few steps, and Nico had enthusiastically agreed. 

Therefore, as the traffic thinned out and Maki neared her house, their home, Maki drove with a happiness in her heart that once felt foreign to her. Work was far more tolerable when she knew that the raven-haired idol was at home waiting for her. Nico was currently recording a new album, and as a result she was spending much of her time in the studio or meeting with her team, but she had promised to be home tonight. Of course, Maki had at first been concerned that their relationship could damage her girlfriend’s idol career – a worry that still crossed her mind occasionally – but up to this point they had been able to keep it all under wraps. One might think that having to keep such a thing secret would be an inconvenience, but it didn’t bother Maki one bit. All she cared about was being with the one she loved, the one who was awaiting her imminent arrival.

* * *

Yazawa Nico was decidedly _not_ panicking. Yes, perhaps she was a little stressed, due to being ever so slightly (monumentally) behind schedule, and some of the people in her current vicinity weren’t exactly helping matters, but she _definitely_ wasn’t panicking. Super idols never panicked – they always kept a cool head, no matter the situation or surroundings. But she would begrudgingly admit that Honoka nearly setting her kitchen on fire may have scared her, just a little. As Nico stared at the scene in front of her, mouth hanging open dumbly, Eli dashed past her with a fire extinguisher in her hands. (Nico would later thank Maki’s parents for insisting she kept one in her kitchen.) The blonde looked like an action movie star as she sprayed foam into the oven, dousing the flames before any real damage could be done. Once Eli had finished her short trial as a firefighter, she breathed a huge sigh of relief, relief that Nico currently didn’t share because-

“You burnt the chicken!”

Honoka, who had also been stood motionless whilst watching the flames threaten to spread, slowly turned towards the diminutive idol. “Uhh… I gotta go get the rest of the decorations from the car!” An instant later, she dashed past Nico and Eli down the hallway towards the front door, leaving the former stewing. Eli, still holding the extinguisher, chuckled at her friend’s misfortune in a situation that was absolutely not to be laughed at.

“Well, at least we bought a lot of food. I’m sure we’ll have enough without the chicken.” The Russian’s calming aura started to rub off ever so slightly, as Nico’s shoulders became marginally less tense and her eye stopped twitching.

“I mean, you’re probably right-”

“I usually am.”

“-but we’re still way behind schedule. Maki could be home any time now and we still have so much decorating to do, and food to cook, and-” Nico was cut off by her friend’s hand on her shoulder. She turned towards her friend and her sharp eyes softened.

“You worry too much. I understand that you wanted today to be perfect for Maki, we all do, but I promise that she’ll enjoy it regardless of some burnt chicken. Today’s the first day she’ll have seen most of us for years, and if she misses us as much as you say then I guarantee this will be one of the best birthday she’s ever had.” Eli smiled warmly, which proved to be contagious as the shorter girl gave a small smile of her own. In reality, Nico knew Eli was right (as she usually was) – Maki would be over the moon to find out that her best friends were all together again, for the first time in nearly seven years, all to celebrate her birthday. In fact, Nico had spent days trying to imagine her girlfriend’s reaction to the big reveal, and _weeks_ planning for this day. Weeks of messages and calls with all seven of the other girls, trying to convince them to take time off from their respective jobs. 

Nico had assumed that Hanayo and Rin would be the hardest sell, due to Hanayo’s non-flexible work hours as a teacher in a different country, but the stars had apparently aligned perfectly and Hanayo was able to get the time off. Kotori and Umi decided they could take a few days away from their fashion design business, Honoka was in town anyway for Yukiho’s birthday the day before, and Eli and Nozomi had closed their florist for the week. And now, after all of this planning, even if not everything had gone perfectly according to plan, Nico was determined to give Maki the birthday she deserved.

“Hey Nico, why is the door open?” came Maki’s distant voice. At first it didn’t occur to Nico that hearing her voice at this particular moment of time was not part of the plan, but as she opened her mouth to reply, her eyes widened and she turned to face a similarly startled Eli. The blonde simply shrugged and tried not to laugh, because how could she not laugh at the plan going _this badly_ wrong? Also, Kotori and Umi were meant to be on watch for when Maki arrived, so they could all greet Maki together. Where was the signal they’d arranged? _Why could no-one stick to the plan?_

* * *

Maki parked her car in the driveway, only slightly confused by all the cars parked on the street just outside her house (one of which even had the boot open, and someone rummaging around in it). She chose to ignore the oddness of the situation, focusing on spending the evening with her incredible girlfriend. Nico had promised to cook them both a lovely dinner, followed by a quiet evening spent in each other’s company. Honestly, Maki couldn’t think of a better way to spend her first birthday with a renewed lease of life. As the redhead approached her home, she noticed that the front door was slightly open, which struck her as odd. Maybe Nico had recently been to the shops and hadn’t shut the door properly? Maki pushed the door open more, shouting into the house.

“Hey Nico, why is the door open?” No sooner than the words left her mouth, an astonished gasp was audible behind her. Maki spun around to view the source of said sound, and then she assumed that either her brain or her eyes were lying to her because the person behind her looked an awful lot like Honoka. Maki blinked. The woman that looked suspiciously like Honoka squeaked, dropped her bag full of what appeared to be confetti, and promptly glomped Maki.

“Maki! I’m so glad to see you! It’s been so long!” this woman exclaimed, with a volume that was all too familiar. Maki was far too busy trying to process anything at all at this moment to return the embrace, her arms hanging limply at her sides. Her assailant, who absolutely couldn’t be Honoka, released Maki and grinned even more widely. “How have you been? I can’t wait to hear all about you and Nico!” Ah yes, Nico. Maki’s girlfriend, who had supposedly been waiting at home by herself all day. So clearly, thought the small part of Maki’s brain still in operation, she should go inside to see her girlfriend, and ignore this Honoka impersonator. Alas, Maki remained rooted to the spot, staring blankly at Honoka, because… Honoka was here. At her house. As the rest of the gears inside Maki’s head whirred into motion with a blistering pace, the collection of emotions shown on her face was equally as dramatic. From bewilderment, then on to elation, which was clouded by overwhelming disbelief. 

Of course, several people then appeared in the doorway behind her, just in time for the fireworks show. Maki turned once more, first noticing her girlfriend (who was wearing a beautiful dress, one Maki hadn’t seen before), but then quickly realising there were _more people_ with her. A tall blonde closely followed by a purple-haired woman, both with looks of somewhere between joy and mischief.

“Uh… welcome home?” came a small voice. Maki re-focused on her girlfriend, with a sheepish grin on her face, and immediately started crying. Of course, of course her stupid incredible girlfriend would organise something so great for her birthday. As soon as the tears started, they wouldn’t stop, the cascade of overwhelming emotions evident to see. As Maki tried to wipe her eyes, she felt arms envelop her – multiple sets of arms, in fact. She felt the warm embrace of friends she hadn’t seen for what felt like a lifetime. Maki was too overpowered by the pure bliss to think straight, letting the tears flow as her friends (and her wonderful girlfriend) held her. Soon enough, two more voices could be heard from inside the house, voices a part of Maki had genuinely believed she may never hear again. Maki broke free of one hug and jumped into another, catching her best friends off guard.

“Rin! Hanayo!” came the muffled cries, more tears threatening to arrive as the pair squeezed her tightly. At this point, Maki stopped trying to understand how this was happening, how so many of her friends that weren’t just living all over the country, but some on the other side of the world, were here together. They were all here for her birthday. They were all here because Nico had done this for her. The slightly hysterical redhead detached herself from yet another hug, facing her girlfriend with the biggest smile she’d worn in her entire life.

“How? How on earth did you manage this?” Maki practically yelled, much to the amusement of the rest of the girls.

“Well, it wasn’t easy… but Nico always delivers the best gifts for her number one fan! Nico Nico Nii~!” Maki’s default reaction to her idol girlfriend’s catchphrase was normally to scowl or sigh, yet all she could do now was laugh, before taking Nico by the shoulders and kissing her. As their friends collectively ‘aww’-ed, Maki broke the kiss, as if suddenly embarrassed by having an audience. 

“In all seriousness,” Nico continued, “it took a lot of work and planning to get everyone here at the same time. Luckily everyone was available, even Hanayo got the time off from her school!”

“It’s true!” Hanayo chipped in. “They were really nice about it, so of course we had to come. It’s been so long!”

“Way too long, nya!”

Maki was unsure if Rin genuinely had the same vocal quirk at the age of 27, or if she had just slipped back into it on this occasion.

“Yeah, we haven’t all been together since before Hanayo and Rin moved to America!” Honoka proclaimed. Wait, everyone was here? But what about…

“Are Kotori and Umi here too?” Maki asked her girlfriend.

“Yep! In fact, they were supposed to be the ones watching for when you arrived. I wonder where they…” Nico trailed off as she heard a faint giggle coming from down the corridor.

“Did you hear that too?” the redhead asked, eyebrows raised. Nico didn’t answer, instead choosing to walk slowly down the corridor towards the source of the noise.

_“We shouldn’t… be doing this here…”_ Nico stopped in front of a closed door, behind which Umi’s voice was barely audible. The other six girls followed, crowding around Nico as she opened the door to the piano room. Inside, Umi was sprawled out on the bench, her shirt discarded onto the tiled floor, and Kotori planted on top of her. Umi turned her head to face the intruders, her face immediately turning to a shade of deep crimson, but unfortunately for her Kotori took that as an invitation to kiss her neck. Even more unfortunately, Umi didn’t have the restraint to hold in a moan, and would likely not have had the willpower nor the coherence to tell Kotori to stop if not for a vocal interruption.

“Really? You guys are doing this on the piano bench?” Maki’s apparent indignation at their chosen location finally attracted Kotori’s attention, as she turned to face the doorway whilst still straddling the shirtless Umi, who was now panting for breath. Kotori’s eyes went as wide as saucers, Nozomi could no longer stop herself from laughing, Nico sighed dramatically.

“Damn horny lesbians can’t stick to the plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was originally meant to be a one-chapter fic, but since people asked for a follow-up I decided to give the story a little bit of closure. I decided not to follow from the same night as where Chapter 1 left off, since I wanted to bring the other girls into it and give Maki the reunion she deserved. I hope this lighthearted conclusion balances out the heaviness of the first part! Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas everyone, and a Happy New Year! Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
